Receptacle support and closure operator

ABSTRACT

An adjustable stand assembly for use with refuse containers or the like having various diameters or lateral dimensions and having an upper end, a lower end and a cover removably secured on the upper end. The stand assembly includes an upright support structure having vertically adjustable support means on which the lower end of the container rests. The support structure has a concave portion spaced upwardly from said support means and facing outwardly for accommodating a container having a circular cylindrical sidewall. An elongated flexible member is fixed at one end to one side of the concave portion, embraces the container sidewall and holds the container against the concave portion. The opposite end of the flexible member is detachably secured to the other side of the concave portion in such a manner as to vary the length of the flexible member for different size containers. An arm member is pivotally mounted on the upright support structure above the upper end of the container for providing a cover-retaining means pivotally movable about a horizontal axis. A locking means releasably and automatically locks the arm in a horizontal position with the cover secured on the upper end of the container.

United States Patent [72] inventors Ralph J. Cummings 1904 S. Cicero Ave., Cicero, 111. 60656 Paul Miller, ON468 Willow Road, Wheaton, 111. 60187 [21] Appl. No. 814,904 [22] Filed Apr. 10, 1969 [45] Patented Feb. 9, 1971 [54] RECEPTACLE SUPPORT AND CLOSURE OPERATOR 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 248/147, 21 1/83 [51] Int. Cl 865i 1/16 [50] Field of Search 248/ 147, 134,128,133. T.C.;21l/76, 82, 83,84

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,466,288 4/1949 Waterman 21 l/84 3,003,728 10/1961 Shaw 248/TC 3,007,664 1 l/ l 961 Fairbanks et al. 248/T C 3,105,594 10/ 1963 Ewers 248fl C 3,173,547 3/1965 Alissandratos 248/T C 3,214,120 10/1965 McKee 248/147 3,255,986 6/1966 Eadie 248/ 147 3,270,993 9/1966 Montague 3,288,306 11/1966 Walters ABSTRACT: An adjustable stand assembly for use with refuse containers or the like having various diameters or lateral dimensions and having an upper end, a lower end and a cover removably secured on the upper end. The stand assembly includes an upright support structure having vertically adjustable support means on which the lower end of the container rests. The support structure has a concave portion spaced upwardly from said support means and facing outwardly for accommodating a container having a circular cylindrical sidewall. An elongated flexible member is fixed at one end to one side of the concave portion, embraces the container sidewalland holds the container against the concave portion. The opposite end of the flexible member is detachably secured to the other side of the concave portion in such a manner as to vary the length of the flexible member for different size containers. An arm member is pivotally mounted on the upright support structure above the upper end of the container for providing a cover-retaining means pivotally movable about a horizontal axis. A locking means releasably and automatically locks the arm in a horizontal position with the cover secured on the upper end of the container.

REC EPTACLE SUPPORT ANDCLOSURE OPERATOR BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a receptacle support and closure operator and more particularly to an improved support for a refuse container having removable cover means.

A basic object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable stand for a covered refuse container or other receptacle having an upwardly extending sidewall, an upper open end, a lower end, and a cover removably secured on the upper end, the stand being adjustable to accommodate containers having various diameters or lateral dimensions as well as vertically adjustable to vary the height of the supported container from the ground.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable stand assembly which has a cover-retaining means movable between a first position with the cover secured on the upper end of the container and a second position with the cover removed from the upper end of the container, the coverretaining means comprising an armlike member pivoted about a horizontal axis, and including locking means for releasably and automatically locking the arm in said first position as a result of the arm being disposed in said first position.

In carrying out the invention, in one form thereof, there is provided an upright support structure in the form of a vertically extending cylindrical post member secured at its base to a floor or to the ground. A first sleeve member is slidably received on the post and has a portion projecting radially outwardly from the post to support by gravity the lower end of the container. A second sleeve member is slidably received on the post above and spaced from the first sleeve member and is provided with a concave portion facing outwardly for accommodating a container having a circular cylindrical sidewall. An elongated flexible member in the form of a chain is fixed at one end to the concave portion, embraces the sidewall of the container and has a series of openings in the other end. A hook means is fixed to the other side of the concave portion for connecting into the openings in the chain member to vary the length of the chain to accommodate various sizes of containers. A cover-retaining means such as that set forth in the preceding paragraph is pivotally mounted on a third sleeve member which is slidably mounted on the post spaced from and above the second sleeve member. All three sleeve members are vertically adjustable on the upright support to accommodate containers of various heights and to adjust the height of a supported container from the floor or ground.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable stand assembly incorporating the present invention and being adapted to support a pair of refuse containers or the like;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the stand assembly of FIG. 1, partially cut away, to illustrate the cover retaining means, and with portions of the assembly removed to facilitate the illustration;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with the cover secured on the upper end of the container; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section similar to that of FIG. 3 with the cover removed from the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Proceeding to a more detailed description of the invention and initially to a container, generally designated 10, representative of the type of device with which the invention is adapted for use. The stand assembly shown in the drawings (FIGS. 1 and 2) is designed for supporting a pair of said containers. Each container may have a cylindrical, upwardly extending sidewall 12 with a lower end 14 and an upper end 16, the lower end having a base wall (not shown in the drawings) extending thereacross and closing the same. The upper end I6 is provided with a removable cover 20 which has a generally centrally disposed, upwardly projecting handle 22 thereon of inverted U-shape defining an opening 24. The containers or receptacles 10 are, of course. conventional and representative of the type of containers with which the present invention is used, but it should be understood and will be apparent from the following description that containers having various diameters, shapes or lateral dimensions. as well as vertical dimensions, may be supported by the present invention.

The stand assembly of the present invention comprises an upright support structure in the form ofa generally cylindrical post member 26 which, as shown in FIG. I, may be anchored in the ground by concrete 28 or the like. Obviously, the bottom of the post 26 may be provided with a suitable base so as to stand on a subjacent floor or the like. A pair of container support means, generally designated 30, each includes a sleeve portion 30a which has an arm portion 30!) extending radially outwardly therefrom and on which the lower end 14 of a container 10 rests by gravity. Since most conventional refuse containers have their base walls recessed in the lower end 14 of the container, the arm portion 30b of each support means 30 is provided with an upstanding hook portion 30c which extends into the recessed bottom of the container to prevent lateral movement of the lower end of the container outwardly away from the post 26. The sleeve portions 30a of the support means 30 are slidably mounted on the post 26 for vertical adjustment to vary the height of the containers 10 from the ground or floor. Setscrew means 32 are threaded through the sleeve portions 30a to fix the support means 30 at a desired vertical osition on the post 26. The facing edges 33 of the sleeves are cut at an angle to permit the arm portions 30/) to be at the same height, if desired, to support a pair of containers 10 having the same vertical dimensions.

An adjustable retaining means, generally designated 34, is mounted on the upright post 26 for embracing the side walls 12 of the containers 10 to hold the containers against the post as the containers rest by gravity on the arm portions 30!) of the support means 30. The retaining means shown herein comprises a sleeve portion 30a slidably mounted on the post 26 spaced from and above the sleeves 300. Similar setserew means 34b are provided to fix the vertical position of the sleeve 300. A pair of outwardly facing concave portions 340 are fixed to the sleeve 34 on diametrically opposite sides thereof for accommodating a container having a circular cylindrical sidewall, such as that shown in the drawings. An elongated flexible member, the preferred embodiment of which comprises a chain member 36, is fixed at one end 36a to one side of each of the concave portions 340 of the retaining means 34. The chains extend around and embrace the sidewalls 12 of the containers l0 and the free ends 36b of the chains are connected to hook means 38 secured to the other ends of the concave portions 340 of the retaining means 34. It is readily apparent that the length of the chains 36 may be varied to accommodate refuse containers having various diameters or lateral dimensions. Of course, it is to be understood that a wide variety of flexible members may be utilized and detachably secured to the concave portions 34c, within the contemplation of this invention.

A cover retaining means, generally designated 40, is mounted on a portion of the upright post 26 extending upwardly beyond the open upper end I6 of the containers. The cover retaining means includes a sleeve portion 48 slidably received for vertical adjustment on the post 26 with setserew means 40b for fixing the position of the sleeve, Two pairs of ears 40d are diametrically disposed on opposite sides of the sleeve 40a for pivotally mounting arm members 42 for rotation about horizontal axes 44 from a first generally horizontal position shown in FIG. I with the covers 20 secured on the upper end 16 of the containers and a second, generally vertical position with the covers 20 removed from the upper ends of the container 10 and projecting upwardly in a generally vertical plane. The U-shaped handles 22 on top of the covers 20 are seated in notches 42a formed in the arms 42.

Referring to FIGS. 1 3 and 4. and particularly FIGS. 3 and 4, a locking means is provided for the arms 42 to releasably and automatically lock the arms in their horizontal positions solely as a result of the horizontal disposition of the arms. Referring to FIGS 3 and 4, a cam surface 50 is formed on each of the arm members 42 facing the sleeve portion 40a of the cover retaining means 40. Wedge members 52 have complementary cam surfaces 5211 which abut against the cam surfaces 50 on the arms 42 to prevent rotation of the arms 42 in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 3) and thereby lock the arms 42 in their horizontal positions as shown in FIGS. I and 3. The wedge members 52 are sandwiched between the ear portions 40d which extend outwardly from the sleeve portion 40a and which thereby mount the wedge members 52 for vertically reciprocating movement. If it is desired to raise a cover 20 and pivot its respective arm 42 about its axis 44, the respective wedge member 52 is moved vertically to move the cam surfaces 50 and 52a out of abutment and permit the arm 42 to be rotated and the cover 20 raised to a position shown in FIG. 4. When the cover 20 is replaced on top of the container 10, thereby rotating the arm member 42 about its axis 44 in a direction opposite that of arrow A, the respective wedge member 52 will return by gravity to the position shown in FIG. 3 to again block rotational movement upwardly of the arm member 42 and thereby lock the cover 20 onto the container 10.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

I. A stand assembly for use with a refuse container having an open upper end a lower end and a cover reniovably secured on the upper end. the stand assembly comprising: an upright support structure having means for supporting a container. a portion ofthe upright support structure extending upwardly beyond the upper end ofthe container; cover-retaining means comprising an arm member pivotally mounted on said portion of the upright support structure for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis between a first position with the cover secured on the upper end of the container and a second position with the cover removed from the upper end of the container; and means including a wedge member rcleasably and automatically locking the arm in said first position as a result of the arm being disposed in said first position said wedge member being disposed between said arm and said portion of the upright support structure for vertically reciprocating movement, and means defining complementary cam surfaces on said arm member and said wedge member, said cam surfaces being so oriented and of such a configuration as to cause the wedge member to seat by gravity and cause the cam surfaces to abut thereby preventing movement of the arm about said axis, the wedge member being manually releasable from said seated position. 

1. A stand assembly for use with a refuse container having an open upper end, a lower end and a cover removably secured on the upper end, the stand assembly comprising: an upright support structure having means for supporting a container, a portion of the upright support structure extending upwardly beyond the upper end of the container; cover-retaining means comprising an arm member pivotally mounted on said portion of the upright support structure for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis between a first position with the cover secured on the upper end of the container and a second position with the cover removed from the upper end of the container; and means including a wedge member releasably and automatically locking the arm in said first position as a result of the arm being disposed in said first position, said wedge member being disposed between said arm and said portion of the upright support structure for vertically reciprocating movement, and means defining complementary cam surfaces on said arm member and said wedge member, said cam surfaces being so oriented and of such a configuration as to cause the wedge member to seat by gravity and cause the cam surfaces to abut, thereby preventing movement of the arm about said axis, the wedge member being manually releasable from said seated position. 